Chief Minister Ahod "Al-Haj Murad'' Ebrahim of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) visited the Philippine Army headquarters in Fort Bonifacio Thursday.

Col. Ramon Zagala, Philippine Army spokesman said Ebrahim was welcomed by Army chief Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana.

Zagala said the visit was made as part of the celebration of BARMM’s 2nd founding anniversary.

"The event was a historical moment being the first-ever visit of BARMM chief minister in the Army headquarters," he said.

Sobejana said that he "consider this unprecedented visit of the Chief Minister as historic and a blessing," as he recalled in 2018 when he was welcomed by Ebrahim in Camp Darapanan, Maguindanao, then considered as the largest stronghold of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF),

“To attain peace in the island of Mindanao has always been the primordial motivation of the Philippine Army. Although the decades of conflicts in Mindanao had bred indifference and animosity; we are now in unity and reconciliation. A manifestation that we turn our wounds into wisdom rather than anger," he said.

"We will walk side by side in this journey towards lasting peace and progress for the Bangsamoro region and our country as a whole,” he added.

In his speech Ebrahim noted that "I know and I believe that there will be a time that we will be converging together and now is the time. We are now here to continue the partnership. We will now march together in order to achieve lasting peace and progress.”

Zagala said the "BARMM was established when the MILF and the Philippine government reached a phase of peace negotiations after the RA 11054 or the Bangsamoro Organic Law was successfully ratified in January 2019, thus replacing the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao." Robina Asido/DMS